Composition and properties of Finnish honey and their dependence on the season, region, bee race and botanical origin

Authors

• Anna-Liisa Varis Department of Agricultural and Forest Zoology, University of Helsinki, SF-00710 Helsinki 71
• Juha Helenius Department of Agricultural and Forest Zoology, University of Helsinki, SF-00710 Helsinki 71
• Kari Koivulehto Department of Agricultural and Forest Zoology, University of Helsinki, SF-00710 Helsinki 71

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.72141

Abstract

Analyses were made of regionally representative samples of Finnish honey, 90 from 1977 and 68 from 1978. The average sugar composition, determined by thin layer chromatography, was: 47.3 % fructose, 43.9 % glucose and 8.7 % oligosaccharides. The ratio fructose/glucose was 1.1. Dry matter averaged 82.4 % and pH 3.9. Vitamin analysis of five sub samples gave 2700/µg/100 g ascorbic acid, 9/µg/ 100 g thiamine, 39 µg/ 100 g riboflavin and 1020/µg/100g niacin. The proportion of glucose was positively and the proportion of oligosaccharides negatively correlated to the count of Brassicaceae pollen in honey. The tendency to crystallize was explained better by the ratio glucose/oligosaccharides than by the ratios fructose/glucose, glucose/water or (glucose-water)/fructose. In sugar composition and in tendency to crystallize, seasonal and regional variation existed.